Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE)

TUPE grant funds support our district in developing and implementing effective, multi-tiered comprehensive tobacco education programs for 6^th-12^th grade students through a variety of prevention, intervention and cessation services. We provide tobacco prevention curriculum and activities that build knowledge, social skills, and other youth developmental assets. Youth Development is a key aspect of prevention; it reduces youth tobacco use by helping students make healthful tobacco-related decisions.

Tier 1 services and actions are universal prevention supports for our 6^th-12^th grade students. In addition, strategic supports for disproportionate use among student populations are also included in tier 1 prevention efforts.

Tier 2 services are offered to students who referred for concerns about smoking/vaping, in possession of tobacco products and/or related paraphernalia while on campus, during district events, or during distance learning.

Tier 3 services are offered to students with multiple offenses related to smoking/vaping, in possession of tobacco products and/or related paraphernalia while on campus, during district events, or during distance learning.

Referrals to FREE Tobacco Intervention & Cessation services:

The Tobacco-Use Prevention Education (TUPE) Grant provides FREE Tobacco-Use Intervention and/or Cessation services to SUSD 6th-12th grade students. Students can be referred to these services by: Administration as part of, or in lieu of, disciplinary actions, parent/guardian referrals for concern about student use, and student self-referrals to address use.

Want to make a referral? To make a parent/guardian or student self-referral please contact your SCHOOL COUNSELOR. All TUPE Tier 2 and Tier 3 services require parent/guardian permission.

Tobacco Prevention Curriculum 

Prevention Curriculum Goals:

• by 2023 all 7^th & 8^th graders will receive Project Alert prevention curriculum in their PE classes as part of the Health Education component to PE
• by 2023 all 9^th graders will receive select Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit curriculum in their PE classes as part of the Health Education component to PE

Project ALERT is a classroom-based substance abuse prevention program for 7^th -8^th  graders that is proven to reduce the experimental and continued use of drugs. Through a series of comprehensive lessons, Project ALERT motivates students against drug use, cultivates new non-use attitudes and beliefs, and equips teens with the skills and strategies they’ll use to resist drugs. Project ALERT is proven to:

• Motivate students against drug use
• Provide skills and strategies to resist drugs
• Establish new non-use attitudes and beliefs

Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit is a theory-based and evidence-informed set of resources created by educators, parents, and researchers aimed at preventing middle and high school students’ use of tobacco and nicotine. The selected 3 lessons address the health risks of using e-cigarettes/vapes/JUUL/Puff bars, nicotine addiction, the marketing tactics used by nicotine companies to target youth, and basic cannabis prevention lessons. Students will gain the necessary motivation and decision-making factors to make healthful tobacco-related decisions.

• Motivation factors: students’ attitudes, beliefs, expectations, and desires regarding drug use
• Decision-making: how to make decisions that lead to health-promoting behaviors